Hunter of the Lost Gates-Chapter 25 - : The Path Forward

Sai stood in the aftermath of the battle, his body aching from the clash with the Hidden Order's Executor. The once-majestic ruins were now barely standing, cracks spreading across ancient stone as dust and debris settled. His breathing was ragged, his wounds slow to heal despite his system's passive regeneration.

He had survived. But only barely.

His mind replayed the fight, every attack, every counter, every overwhelming moment where it felt like death was certain. He had pushed past his limits, but that wasn't enough. The Executor had been testing him.

Next time... I won't just survive. I'll win.

The system's voice chimed in his mind.

[Abyssal Adaptation: Successful.]

[Combat Proficiency Increased.]

[Analyzing Enemy Patterns... Data Stored for Future Battles.]

Sai exhaled, letting his exhaustion settle in. The battle had given him something crucial—insight into the power levels beyond what he'd faced before.

If he wanted to stand a chance next time, he had to get stronger.

A soft groan caught his attention.

Turning, he spotted Lena, the rogue hunter he had rescued earlier, slowly regaining consciousness among the ruins. Her face was pale, and she was clearly still in pain, but her eyes widened when she saw Sai.

"You're... alive?" she rasped, coughing slightly.

Sai smirked despite himself. "What, you thought I'd die that easily?"

Lena shook her head, pushing herself up. "I saw him attack you. There was no way you should've survived."

Sai glanced at the spot where the Executor had vanished, his expression darkening. "I shouldn't have."

That was the scary part. The only reason he was standing here was because of his Lost Gate System and the abyssal adaptations it had triggered.

Lena studied him carefully. "You fought him off. That's... insane."

Sai didn't respond immediately. He didn't have the energy to explain. Instead, he turned his focus to something more urgent—the ruins themselves.

The fight had destabilized the ancient structure, and cracks were spreading rapidly.

"This place isn't going to last," Sai muttered. "We need to get out of here."

Lena nodded, struggling to her feet. Sai moved to help her, but she waved him off stubbornly. "I can walk."

Sai didn't argue. Instead, he activated Gate Sense, searching for an exit. His ability revealed a faint distortion in the air near the far wall—an unstable portal that was likely their only way out.

"This way," he said, leading her toward it.

Each step was slow, his body protesting with every movement, but he forced himself forward. He had one mission now—escape.

As they approached the shimmering distortion, Lena hesitated. "Where... where does this lead?"

Sai shrugged. "Anywhere but here."

With that, he stepped forward, and the world warped around them.

A New Battlefield

Sai and Lena emerged into a vast canyon, the air thick with moisture and the scent of vegetation. Enormous stone formations jutted out around them, covered in moss and vines. In the distance, a river roared, carving through the landscape like a silver snake.

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Sai tensed, immediately scanning their surroundings. Something felt off.

Lena groaned. "Where... are we?"

Sai narrowed his eyes. The system provided an answer.

[Uncharted Territory: Abyssal Rift]

Sai's stomach dropped. A rift?

Lost Gates were already dangerous. But rifts—they were something else entirely.

Unlike normal dungeons, rifts were unstable spaces, formed from the remnants of battles between abyssal entities.

In short—they were unpredictable death traps.

"Great," Sai muttered. "We went from one problem to another."

Lena sat down on a rock, still catching her breath. "You really have the worst luck."

Sai chuckled dryly. "Tell me about it."

But even as he joked, his eyes remained sharp, scanning the canyon. The system had labeled this place uncharted, meaning no other hunters had documented it.

That meant two things—unknown dangers... and untapped treasures.

Sai tightened his grip on his daggers. If he was stuck here, he'd make the most of it.

Predators in the Dark

The two of them began moving cautiously through the canyon, navigating the uneven terrain. Sai kept his system active, detecting faint traces of abyssal energy lingering in the air.

They weren't alone.

"We're being watched," Sai said quietly.

Lena tensed. "By what?"

Sai didn't answer. He was too busy focusing on the shadows.

Then—movement.

A low, guttural growl echoed through the canyon. Something massive slithered between the rocks, its form barely visible in the dim light.

Then, it struck.

A monstrous beast lunged from the shadows—a massive, reptilian creature covered in obsidian-like scales. Its glowing red eyes locked onto Sai, fangs dripping with venom.

[Abyssal Predator Detected: Class A Threat.]

Sai didn't hesitate.

"Move!" he shouted, shoving Lena aside just as the creature's tail smashed down, cracking the ground where they had stood.

Sai flipped back, daggers flashing as he activated Phantom Step, teleporting mid-air to avoid the next strike.

Lena rolled to the side, drawing her weapon—a pair of enchanted chakrams. She flung one forward, the spinning blade slashing across the creature's hide.

But the attack barely scratched it.

"This thing's armored," Lena hissed.

Sai clicked his tongue. They needed a new approach.

He activated Abyssal Insight, his vision shifting to reveal weak points in the creature's form.

There—under the jaw.

"Lena! Aim for its throat!" Sai called.

Lena nodded, adjusting her stance. As the beast lunged at Sai again, she twisted mid-air, her chakrams glowing with blue energy.

With a precise throw, the weapon sliced upward, striking just beneath the creature's jaw.

The monster reeled back, roaring in pain.

Sai seized the opportunity. He flashed forward, his dagger glowing with abyssal energy. With a swift motion, he plunged the blade into the exposed weak point.

A burst of black energy erupted from the wound, and the beast convulsed violently before finally collapsing.

Silence filled the canyon.

Lena panted, wiping sweat from her forehead. "That... was too close."

Sai exhaled, stepping back from the corpse. The system chimed.

[Abyssal Predator Defeated.]

[Loot Acquired: Abyssal Scale Fragment.]

Sai checked his inventory. The scale fragment radiated energy, pulsing with potential.

He smirked. "This might be useful."

Lena raised an eyebrow. "You're way too excited about loot."

Sai shrugged. "I take what I can get."

The Road Ahead

They continued deeper into the canyon, the weight of their battles settling on them. But Sai's mind was already focused ahead.

This rift... it wasn't just random.

Someone had forced them here.

And if that was the case—there was something here they weren't supposed to find.

Sai tightened his grip on his weapon, his gaze sharpening.

He would find the truth. No matter what.

To Be Continued...